Rotary sprinkler



July 25, 1933. H. R. MUNZ ROTARY SPRINKLER Filed May 26, 1930 INVENTOR M4112 AmZ/i BY 91 m W Wfimm ATTORNEYS V 'Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sec- Patented July 25, 1933 UNETED' STA E f i .l,919, 24 V v grarn mr-orrrci-i j fianonn R. Mtrirz, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssrGuon. To ELMERLGLMUINZ, OZE' DETBOIT ICHIGA r V J ROTARY SPRINKLER. t

' Application filed May 26,

This invention relates generally to sprin- One 'ofthe essential objects of the invention is to provide an efiicient sprinkler in which a rotatable" nozzle isfmoved step by [step about its axis by" contacttherewith of a greatest possible area with looselyv mounted rotatable member;

Another object is to provide a sprinkler of the type just described wherein the rotatable member just mentioned is rotated by the action ofwhirling water within the nozzle. Anothergobject is to provide a sprinkler in whichgfrictional contact between'the part rotatable with the nozzle and another part of the sprinkler is maintainedby the water while. the sprinkler is in operation to retard the movements of the nozzle about its axis.

' Another object is to provide a simple and compactrotary or revolving sprinkler having a radial discharge adapted to cover the a minimum amount of water. a Another object is to provide an efficient sprinkler in which all of the operating parts are within the sprinkler itself so thatthey are kept clean and lubricated by the water and protected from dirt when they are in-.

stalled in the ground as permanent fixtures. .With the aboveandotherobjects inview the invention consists of certain novel fea tures of construction, combinations and 'arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawing:

Figure '1 is ,a vertical section 1 view through a sprinkler embodying. myinvention and showing the parts in operative sprinkling position; 7 s j i Figure 2is a view similar to Figure 1' but showing the parts in inactive position; v 1 Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the li ne-33 of Figure 1;

tionalview through struction. v r a I 7 Referring, now to the drawing; A is'the casing; B is the rotatable body or nozzle; G is a slightly modified con- 1930'. Serial No. 455,836.

the stem forthe body; and Dis therotating.

member ofa sprinkler embodying my inven-, it tion, -As shown, the casing, A has a tubular portionl threaded uponlthe upper end ofa water supply pipe Efin the ground and has an upwardly opening cuprshaped portion'2 ief provided at its upper end with a lateral flange 3 that is'substantially flush with the upper,

' face of the ground. Thebody or nozzle Bis supported axially on the stem C and is move. able longitudinally of the'oup-shaped portion 2 of the casing. Preferably the body B is substantially cylindricalin shape and has a base 4 and a cover 5. shown,-the base 4 has an axial opening 6, while the cover '5 has a fiat top portion 7 .and' a downwardly and outwardly flaring wall portion 8. The opening 6 receivesthe stem C; the top portionv 7 is adapted 1 to seat in an annular recess 9 in the flange 3.0f the casing and cooperates with the latter to enclose the other partswhen the body is in lowered position; and the wall portion 8 constitutes a connection between the top portion 7 and thecylindrical walls 10 of the body and is provided'with holes or openings llflthat incline upwardly relative to 1 J theaxis of the body. The stem C is tubular in form and extends through thebases 12 and 4 respectivelyof thecup-shap'ed portion 2 of the casing; and of thebodvB. Prefer? ably the stern C is provided atjits lower end with a nut113 that is engageablewith the loW- er face 14 of the base-, and isprovided'at its upperend with'ja cup-shaped portion 20'.

Pressed within this cup-shaped [portion 20 is the base 20 of;a member 15. As shown,

' an annular shoulder 2l is provided at the bottom of the cup-shaped portion 20 tospaee V p the base 20',' .thereabove so that water from i a the passage23. in the stem may flow laterally to upwardly inclined slots 22 in the base 20". I at the edges thereof. The rotatable member Dis loosely mounted upon the stem 18 of the ;member 15- and is engageable with an inwardly extendinglug or projection 19 upon the cylindrical walls of the body. 7 In this connection it will be noted that the lug 19is rounded and the opening' QO in the member receiving the stem 18' is of sucha size that sufficientclearance will be provided to allow the member D to ride over the lug 19. after contactingtherewith. Preferably a washer 21 is sleeved upon the stem above the rotating member, and a nut 22 threadedly engages the stem 18 above the washer.

In use the body B, stem C and nut 13 as a unit are movable vertically within the casing A. When the water supply to the pipe E is turned oil the body B, stem C and nut are in lowered position (see Figure-2), and the top portion 7 seats within the annular groove 9.

However, when the water supply to the pipe E is turned on the water will rise in the tubular part of the casing 1 against the lower face of the nut 13 and will cause the said nut, stem G and body B 'to rise until the nut engages the lower face 1% of the base 12 (Fig ure 1) whereupon water rising in the passage 23 will flow through the inclined passages 22 20" and will be discharged in a whirling stream into the body B. In this connection it willbe, noted that the inclined passages 22 are larger than the discharge openings 11; hence the body B will be filled with water under'p'ressure and this body of whirling water rotates the member D about the stem 18 and causes the outer end of the member D to contact 7 with the lug 19 on the inner walls of the body at each revolution and to advance the body about its axis. In this instance the impact of the member D against the lug '19 is sufficient to give a slight movement to the body B at each revolution of the member D, about three hundred impacts being required to rotate the body B one revolution. As the member'D rotates the whirling water will be discharged through the openings 11 and will be thrown laterally from the body over a large area. In

46 fact the construction and arrangement of the body B and. stem 0 is such that the entire velocity of the water is utilized for carrying the stream from the body. Thus a minimum of water will cover the greatest possible area.

I This is particularly desirable where the wa ter supply is small and where ordinary underground sprinklers cannot be used efliclent- 1y or without greatly diminishing the water supply for'other domestic purposes. In this connection the body B may or may not be hydraulically balanced. However, in the present instance it is preferably not balanced.

' As shown,the upward force of water within the body B will be greater than the down ward force when the sprinkler is in opera-; tion, and thiswill cause the-body B'to be thrown bythe water upwardly against the shoulder 23 of the stem 0 so that friction between the shoulder 23and the base 4 of the body will slow up or retard the movement of the body about its axis. Consequently the water dischargedtirom the opening 11 in the body will r'eacha', wide radius.

The sprinkler illustrated-in the accompanying drawing and described above is primarily adapted for use in connection with underground piping systems; however, it may be adapted to a garden installation by the elimination of the casing A and by an arrangement to aflixthe stem C directly tothe vertical piping, or it may be provided with spike or sled supports for portable use with a hose as the source of water supplyr In Figure 4 I have illustrated a slight modification in which the member 30 in thecupa rotatable member with on the stem for rotation relative thereto, and

fluid actuatedmeans rotatably mounted upon I the stem and engageableonce each revolution thereof with said nozzle to actuate theisame.

2. In a sprinkler, a casing, an axially movable stem' associated with the casing,'-'a' nozzle mounted on the stem and capable of rotary movement relative to'said stem, means'associat'ed with the stem for discharging a whirling body of water into the nozzle,'and means actuable by said whirling body ofwater for intermittently engaging and actuating said nozzle. '1

3. In a sprinkler, a casing, a nozzle rotatably and axially movable with respect to said casing, means operable by the water pressure for 'axi ally movlng said nozzle,'means for dis-1 charging water into said rotatably and axial- 1 1y movable nozzle in a direction to'exert a torque about the axis of said nozzle, ]means for projecting water radially of said nozzle, means within said nozzle rotatable by the torque exerted by said discharging water and means on said nozzle for intermittently receiving an impact from said last mentioned means whereby'said nozzle is rotated.

4. In a sprinkler,'a casing, a nozzle rotatably and axially movable with respect to said casing, means operable by thewater pressure for axially moving said nozzle, means for a torque about the axis of's'aid nozzle, means for projecting water radially of said nozzle, :1 member within said nozzlehead rotatable independently thereof by the internal action discharging water into said rotatably and axially movable nozzle in a direction to exert of the water within said nozzle and anabut-g ment carried by said nozzle in the-pathof said last mentioned rotatable member adapt- :Erom.

5. In a sprinkler, a casing, a hollow stem slidable'within said casing, a nozzle rotatable on said stem, ahead carried by said stem ed to intermittently receive an impact therewithin said nozzle provided with inclined ports communicating with said hollow stem, a member rotatably mountedin said nozzle adapted to be rotated by the water from said incllned ports and an impact member on said nozzle in the path of said rotatable means.

6. In a sprinkler, a base, a nozzle rotatably and axially movable with respect to said base, means operable by'water pressure for 19 axially charging water into said rotatably and axially movable nozzlein a direction to exert a torque about the axisof said nozzle, an arm rotatably mounted within said nozzle and adapted tobe turned by the internal action of the water within said nozzle, said arm being so i moving said nozzle, means for dis mounted to permit the same to continually I contact with the inner wall of said nozzle during the rotation thereof and means for protinually contact with the inner wall of/said nozzle during the rotation thereof andimeans for projecting'water radially of said nozzle.

HAROLD R. MUNZ; 

